Nittany Lions, Martinez, and McCaffrey! Oh My!

So sorry, but I must interrupt our usual blog with the news that Nebrasketball just landed their first 5-star recruit in Bryce McGowens.  Not since Andre Woolridge picked Nebraska in the early 90s have the Huskers landed a recruit of this magnitude.  I have no doubt, Coach Hoiberg is about to launch a great run of Husker Hoops…now back to football!

Another week, another Husker heartbreaking loss.  I will give Coach Frost credit he knows how to keep the games close.  On the other hand, he has yet to get over the hump with most of these close ones.

Cornteened Shirts

Since Coach Frost arrived at Nebraska, he has tied his team to the coat tails of Adrian Martinez.  In the first season, Martinez played well early, was hurt, then returned and looked like he was going to be a four-year starter that would take the Huskers back to the glory of the past.

As last season started, playing in Boulder, Nebraska’s first half really looked like we had turned the corner.  Nebraska has a large half time lead and Martinez looked like he was going to have a great season.  We all know how that game turned out.  So far Martinez, like the Huskers haven’t seemed to recover. 

After two game this year, it is apparent that a change is coming, and likely this weekend.  Luke McCaffrey will probably start the first game of his Husker career against Penn State, with minimal number of fans in the stands.  Not exactly how we all drew it up last spring.

Luke has earned the shot, as much as Martinez has lost it, but it does make this fan feel melancholy.  Martinez has put a lot of his life into the Husker program.  So many of us have cheered him on, celebrated his achievements and genuinely hoped he would be the leader we all want our Husker quarterbacks to be.

Maybe it won’t be permanent, maybe McCaffrey falters and Adrian must come back and save the day.  It wouldn’t be the first time a starting quarterback was benched and came back better than he was before.  More likely though, without injury, the future of Nebraska and Scott Frost rides with McCaffrey.

We all feel the struggle of this season.  I’m sure Martinez feels is as much if not more than many of us.  It is a situation where a lack of early nonconference games has limited several players of showing their potential.  Unfortunately, with Nebraska’s schedule, time is of the essence to win and win now.  

Will McCaffrey be the answer we all have hoped for this last half decade?  Maybe.  McCaffrey has shown that he is an incredible athlete.  He gets the ball out of his hands in a hurry and makes quick decisions.  He seems to be the “fast blinker” that the staff raves about.  He has answered the bell when he has been on the field so far in minimal duty. This time, he will likely get an entire game to show us what he is all about.  Husker Nation will get a chance to find out if this is a new era of Husker football.  

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 28, Northwestern 17.  The actual score was Northwestern 21, Nebraska 13.  Nebraska will regret that game all season.  They had ample opportunities in the red zone and came away with just one touchdown.  If the Huskers can’t right the offense, this season has the potential to be disastrous.  They are lucky the defense is playing above expectations, if they weren’t, I think we all would be in a panic.

bleedhuskerred.com

Quick Notes:

Running Backs…You might say what happened to Nebraska’s running game?  However, the quarterbacks have ran the ball effectively.  On the flip side, the Husker running backs have been a shell of what they were the previous year.  Dedrick Mills hasn’t gotten going and outside of a few plays by Marvin Scott III and Ronald Thompkins, nothing has jumped out about any running back.  Part of it is play calling, and whether Mills can get to the perimeter like they need.  Another part is the offensive line.  As good as they looked against Ohio State by times, they have yet to just dominate a game.  The running backs need some holes, but they also need to attack their opportunities better.

Quarterbacks…As I talked about above, McCaffrey will likely get his first shot to run the Husker show.  He deserves a shot.  Martinez has been just above horrendous in the passing game and most of the time, can’t even play above that.  This offense requires accuracy.  We know from watching players like Marcus Mariota and McKenzie Milton that an accurate quarterback is a nightmare for defensive coordinators in this offense.  Coach Frost needs someone that can make the easy passes, to lessen the pressure on the offensive line, which in turn should open the running game up and hopefully allow Nebraska to play downfield more in the passing game.  Martinez wasn’t getting it done, so we will find out if it was just him, or a larger concern of the team altogether.

Defensive Line…Man, I don’t want to talk about these guys again, but seriously, Ty Robinson and Casey Rogers are going to be good for a long time in Lincoln.  Throw in Ben Stille and Damion Daniels, along with up and comers Jordon Riley and Keem Green and this group looks to be possibly the best position group for the Huskers.   Nebraska is giving up about 4.2 yards per carry, which isn’t great, but they have been much better against the run that last season.  They also have played two of the better running offenses in the Big Ten.  Penn State doesn’t have a great running attack.  If Nebraska can make them one dimensional, they should have success this weekend.

Special Teams…The Huskers continue to be snake bit on special teams.  A missed field goal, poor punting, awful punt returns, and average kickoff game has limited Nebraska in several ways.  We all know the Huskers were at their best the last decade when they had strong kicking game and made something out of their returns.  Nebraska is still not good enough to be able to play week to week with subpar special teams play.  If they want to win any games going forward, they must clean that up.  We shall see…

Carriker Chronicles

Score Prediction:  Penn State 24 Nebraska 21 

After last week, I just don’t know how Nebraska is going to beat a wounded Penn State team.  Nebraska offensively has been as bad as I can remember them, at least since the awful Bo Pelini group that still almost rode Ndamukong Suh to a Big XII title.  If a change at quarterback is all that separates Nebraska from revving it up this weekend, I think it’s fair to ask Coach Frost what took so long.  On the other side, Penn State is 0-3 and needs a win just as bad as Nebraska.  I expect them to hit Nebraska in the mouth early and often.  If the Huskers play like they did last weekend, I just don’t see it ending well for the Huskers.  I will still be on my couch screaming away, let us all hope that my prediction is the worst thing that happens this weekend.  Here's to hoping I am wrong! GBR!!

Guess Who's Back? Back Again? Husker Football Is Back! Tell A Friend!

So last weekend sucked.  I don’t want to belabor the point, but Wisconsin having an outbreak of Covid-19 within their players and staff put a blunt reminder that this season isn’t going to be easy.  Early in the week, we knew that Wisconsin would be without their starting quarterback, Graham Mertz.  On Wednesday, Nebraska’s game with the Badgers was cancelled.

Nebraska made a very interesting move to try and play Tennessee-Chattanooga as a replacement game, but the Big Ten put a stop to that, as the vote was made that no out of conference games would be played by Big Ten teams in 2020.

I believe this was a mistake on the part of the Big Ten.  Wisconsin is missing another game this weekend, this time against Purdue.  If the Badgers miss another game, and remember, it doesn’t have to be them that has to cancel, they are out of the title hunt in the Big Ten conference.  You can’t miss more than three games and qualify for the Big Ten title game.  Nebraska is also at the mercy of that rule, with limited room for error.  What happens if an outbreak occurs in the East division of the conference?  Ohio State has bigger fish to reel in.  If they miss enough games, they won’t qualify for the end of year playoffs.  That is a killer for a team that looks like they are going to be a threat to win a National Title in a shortened season.

If the Big Ten had allowed replacement games, that could have given the rest of the conference a cushion to avoid a situation like this.  Nebraska did everything that they could in order to play more football this year.  So far, the Big Ten has punished Nebraska’s efforts by limiting their games to in conference only.   

It is not an option to leave the Big Ten conference for Nebraska.  It might seem like a smart move in the short term, but the reality of it is, athletics is only a small part of what being a member of the Big Ten is all about.  Academic standing is important to the University as well.  While most of us Husker fans feel cheated about missing more games, it will just have to be par for the course for 2020.

The great thing is that so far all systems are a “go” to play at Northwestern this weekend.  Nebraska has a real opportunity to make a statement this weekend in Evanston.  The Wildcats are 2-0, with a big win over Iowa last week.  Nebraska has two weeks to stew on football.  If they can build on their experience against Ohio State, the Huskers should match up well this weekend.  Nebraska showed that they should be able to limit the run.  Northwestern is a running team.  

The big question?  How can Nebraska produce yards with players other than their quarterbacks?  Nebraska has a lot of weapons on offense, they need to get them more involved moving forward.  Losing Jack Stoll for a few weeks isn’t ideal, but they have capable backups at tight end.  Nebraska needs to get Dedrick Mills more involved, along with Wan’Dale Robinson.  If they can get them both a combined 30-35 touches, Nebraska will be in great shape.  Nebraska needs to take advantage of better recruiting the last three years at the skill positions.  If they do, they should have a good outcome on Saturday.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Ohio State 54 Nebraska 28.  The actual score was Ohio State 52, Nebraska 17, a game that was close for a little less than two quarters.  After the first two Nebraska scores, it looked like the Huskers were going to give the Buckeyes a game.  Eventually, errors by Nebraska and overall talent for OSU won out.  Nebraska didn’t score anything other than a field goal after a couple of quick, early touchdowns.  

Quick Notes:

Defensive Backs Missing a Half…Nebraska had some lousy luck on penalties against Ohio State.  Deontai Williams and Cam Taylor-Britt both had personal fouls and were ejected in that game for targeting.  Now they sit the first half of this game against Northwestern.  If there was a pronounced weakness in the first game, is was Nebraska’s inability to stop the pass.  The Wildcats are nowhere near as potent as Ohio State, but Myles Farmer and Quentin Newsome will have to be ready to go.  Nebraska lost Braxton Clark for the season before camp was over, but Newsome played last season as a true frosh and has been someone DB Coach Travis Fisher has groomed to be ready for this.  If Nebraska can survive the first half by not giving up any big pass plays, they should be in good shape.

Quarterbacks…Luke McCaffrey is electric.  There is simply no way to not be excited when he enters a game, either at quarterback, running back or wide receiver.  His combination with Adrian Martinez gave Husker fans a lot to ponder for the future.  Martinez played very well against Ohio State.  He wasn’t given enough time to push the ball down the field, but he ran the ball well.  The biggest issue with these two, is simply turnovers.  If Nebraska is going to have any chance to win games, these guys can’t put the ball on the turf.  The two of them seem to get along, so no QB controversy is looming.  If they continue to play off each other, it could be the rare season that two quarterbacks can play well.

Defensive Line…A big unknown coming into this season, the defensive line showed well against a powerful Ohio State offensive line.  Nebraska limited Ohio State to 222 rushing yards.  The line also played well enough that the linebackers were able to get three sacks.  I will take that against a top 3 team.  If the Huskers continue to rotate fresh bodies up front, they should be able to wear lesser teams down as the season goes on.  Casey Rogers, Ben Stille, Damion Daniels, Ty Robinson and Keem Green are all Big Ten looking players.  They are big, strong and seem to finally fit the defense Coach Erik Chinander wants to run.  The linebackers looked much improved, but it helped that the defensive line played at a high level. 

Offensive Line…Nebraska imposed its will on Ohio State on two early drives.  It was beautiful to watch.   On the face of it, it was one of the best offensive line performances I have seen from Nebraska since at least 2016, and possibly since 2012.  Cam Jurgens continues to have some issues with snaps and Matt Farniok was beaten a few times, albeit by a stud tackle, with a quick inside rush.  For a unit that is playing together for the first time, to show out like that against the Buckeyes, well…it was a sight for sore eyes.  I expect this unit to be the leader for the Huskers this season.  I must admit, they did not disappoint.  They have a lot of room to get better.  If they do, by the end of the year, they could be a top 3 unit in the entire conference.

Score Prediction:  Nebraska 28 Northwestern 17

Nebraska has been sitting back, taking grief from national press about wanting to play football.  They were laughed at, basically because when they were fighting to play. They were given a difficult schedule, as if it was some type of comeuppance for making noise.  They came out and punched Ohio State in the mouth.  They couldn’t maintain it, with a couple of bad turnovers and some questionable penalties and they ended up getting blown out.  I think this week, Nebraska will push the ball down field better than they did in their first game.  If Nebraska controls the run game as well as they did against Ohio State, Nebraska should win this game.  Northwestern won’t make many errors and it will be a close game, but I see the Huskers taking out frustration this weekend. GBR!!

Hooray! Husker Football is Back!

Well, hello their Husker Fans!

Anyone else tired of Covid?  I can’t tell you how many days since last spring that I have wanted to just sit back, drink a beer and watch Nebraska football.  My last interaction with Nebraska sports was a basketball game at Pinnacle Bank Arena.  I planned on going to the Spring Game, but of course we never made it that far.  At one point I was sure that the season wasn’t going to happen until later in fall.  When the Big Ten decided to move the season to the spring, I was certain we wouldn’t have any football.  The logistics weren’t on our side.  Two seasons in one calendar year?  Yeah, that was not happening in college football.

Then Scott Frost rode his white horse into the media and basically said, Nebraska will play, anyone, anywhere.  The national media balked at him and said we shouldn’t have a voice.  I’m all for believing in science, but Nebraska was doing everything that the University Medical Center was asking. The Huskers were ready then and are prepared now to play this season.  The results verified what Frost was saying, Nebraska football, along with Big Ten football, is ready to go.

So, what’s that mean for this season?  Well a couple of things have changed what looked like a difficult schedule, into a gauntlet as tough as any in the country.  Nebraska opens on the road with their hardest game, playing at Ohio State.  

Don’t get me wrong, any other year this would be crushing, but I honestly think this will be good for the Huskers.  They will get an Ohio State team replacing many starters on defense and should surprise the Buckeyes with an improved offensive line.  They get the hardest team out of the way early, and if they can survive this game and show positives, it should fire up the Huskers for a strong run.

This shortened season, Nebraska will need to lean on a veteran group up front.  Bringing back the starters, Brenden Jaimes, Boe Wilson, Cam Jurgens and Matt Farkniok, should be the best offensive line Nebraska will have since the early 2012 version.  Coach Greg Austin has done a good job on the recruiting trail, pulling in large humans to compete in the Big Ten.  When Coach Frost came to Nebraska, the biggest disadvantage that he had was the limited size in the trenches on both sides of the football.  

Adrian Martinez was named the starting quarterback earlier this week.  It was a battle this fall for the spot, not unlike his first year here as a freshman.  Luke McCaffrey came into fall camp ready to go and arguably had the best camp of all the quarterbacks.  You have to think that this has pushed Adrian to a point that he is going to compete at a high level.  If everything being equal, Martinez has been through the battles and that should allow him to hit the ground running.  He also should be able to rely on Dedrick Mills as a workhorse back.  Martinez doesn’t have to be the entire team.  His best bet is to be a solid game manager and then burn teams that don’t respect his arm.  He has the ability to throw the deep ball well.  His biggest drawback is his propensity for turnovers.  Unlike the last two years, if Martinez can’t recapture the magic from his freshman season, it looks like the Huskers have options to be successful.

The only drawback is that an inexperienced wide receiver core is going to need to step up.  Wan’dale Robinson was worthy of the hype as a freshman, but with the loss of J.D. Spielman, Nebraska needs to find a handful of kids that are ready to play beyond their experience.  Nebraska has recruited the position well this last year, so the talent is there.  I expect some growing pains.  Luckily, a strong tight end group, led by Jack Stoll and newcomer Travis Vokolek should help by forcing teams to single cover on the outside.  If Martinez can control the ball, the team has weapons.  Not Ohio State type weapons but they are building.

On defense, the front line is the biggest question mark.  After losing the Davis twins and Darrion Daniels to the NFL, kids that haven’t played a ton are going to be asked to go.  Led by Ben Stille, Ty Robinson, Damion Daniels and Deontre Thomas, they may not be all conference, but they should be serviceable.  The issue will be if they can get to the quarterback.  I don’t look for them to touch Justin Fields much this weekend, but when they move into the next part of their schedule, they need to be able to get in the backfield to make this defense work.

The next two levels return a lot of guys that have played a lot of snaps.  Guys like Collin Miller, Dicaprio Bootle and Cam Taylor-Britt should provide enough help to allow the front line to grow up.  They won’t be the best in the conference, but if they can create turnovers and limit big plays, they should be competitive enough to lead to a winning season.  Hopefully the return Deontai Williams will boost the entire back end of the Blackshirts.

All in all, with everything that has happened this last nine months, this team is ready to go play.  As a fan, that’s really all we can ask.  As a group, Husker Nation needs something to take our mind off everything else going on, I can’t wait to see us play, no matter what happens this Saturday.  Cheers!!!

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last season’s final game prediction was Nebraska 28, Iowa 27.  The actual score was Iowa 27, Nebraska 24, with the Huskers losing on a last-minute field goal.  Like most losses for Nebraska last season, Nebraska had a chance to win the game, but made just enough errors on special teams to cost them.  Throw in a scoring drought in the second half it was a pattern that we watched all of last season just recurring.  I expect a completely different team this season.  

Quick Notes:

Quarterback Controversy…Adrian Martinez might be the starter, but Luke McCaffrey is going to play.  I don’t know how much, but you can’t leave an athlete like him on the bench.  He may only have special packages, maybe he gets a series or two to himself, but he changes the game with his legs.  As I said before, he had about as good a fall camp as you could hope for.  I think Martinez will be the starter, but if there are hiccups, I expect a huge does of McCaffrey somewhere down the road.  It’s a good problem to have.  On the flip side, Martinez played most of last season with multiple injuries.  If he is healthy, I expect Adrian to look a lot different this fall.  The fact that he held off McCaffrey makes me believe he will be a lot more like the first-year player we saw.

Special Teams…A new kicker from LSU (Connor Culp) and a new special teams coach should improve this group immensely.  Last year was a mess all over special teams.  If Scott Frost didn’t get this part taken care of during the offseason, the winds of change will start to blow in Memorial Stadium.  Scott Frost is a lot smarter than me about football, I think he will right the ship.  With no worries about redshirts this year, I expect large amounts of great athletes to be on the field at all times.  That alone should be worth a 3-point swing per game this season.

Expectations…Nebraska is flying under the radar this year.  I mean, WAY under the radar.  Most people think they will be lucky to win 4 game this year based on the schedule that they have.  I’m not sure that they will win more than 4 before the extra Big Ten game, but I think Nebraska will be one of, if not the most improved team in the western division.  I don’t know that it means anything more than not finishing in the bottom half of the division, but this team will be better than last years.  Even with this schedule, there should be an upset early by this team.

Scott Frost…It is no secret that the first two seasons of Scott Frost’s tenure at Nebraska have been a pretty large letdown.  From the first cancelled game against Akron to the last second field goal to keep Nebraska from bowling last year, I’m sure Frost wishes he would have done things different in many instances.  I believe in what Coach Frost is doing.  If you follow recruiting at all, Nebraska’s recruiting from 2015-2017 was about as awful as it has been in any of our lifetimes.  The cupboard was bare.  While it isn’t stacked right now, you are starting to see difference makers.  Guys like Wan’dale Robinson, Luke McCaffrey, Cam Jurgens and Ty Robinson are the kind of kids that will turn certain games around on their own.  If you can throw in half a dozen other guys that play up to their potential this year, Nebraska will start to put those close games in the win column, rather than what we have seen the last two years.

Season Prediction…Nebraska could go anywhere from 5-3 to 2-6 in my opinion in their eight-game regular season.  I lean toward 4-4, but probably closer to 3-5 than 5-3.  There are still so many holes to fill, especially at outside linebacker and on the defensive line.  This team should be much improved at special teams and should score a lot of points.  Unless they can stop the run though, teams will look to pound them up front and shorten the game.  Nebraska hasn’t shown they can do that for probably 6 years.  I don’t think it will happen this year, but I hope I’m wrong.

Score Prediction:  Ohio State 54 Nebraska 28

I think Ohio State will let off the gas in the fourth quarter of this game and it will look closer in the end that it probably is.  Ohio State is playing to get in the playoffs.  They can’t allow a slip up out of the gate, even if Nebraska is not the same Nebraska they drilled in Lincoln in 2019.  Ohio State isn’t the same team they were last year either, but they still do have Justin Fields.  I think Nebraska’s offensive line will do some damage in this game, but I expect the skill positions just aren’t full enough of difference makers to compete at this level.  Either way, it’s great to have Husker Football Back!!! GBR!!

Cornhusker Memes Mock Draft

Carlos Davis

Let’s do this thing.  My annual, “If I was this teams GM, this is the route I would take” mock draft.  Last year the class was front loaded with lineman and there wasn’t a lot of skill position players with first round grades outside of quarterback.  This season, it’s quite the opposite, there are multiple wide receivers that have high grades and could make an impact. Keep in mind about wideouts, they typically have the largest bust rate of all positions when it comes to first round picks.  While I typically would stay away from them early in the draft, this group will make that a difficult task.

Quarterbacks always drive the draft.  This year, there are may not be any can’t miss players at QB.  It always happens, someone will take a chance on a QB and trade up when you don’t expect it and then you will see in a couple years that a better QB was drafted later and the best team just waited to select them (Lamar Jackson anyone?). I like to build teams from the inside out, meaning I like offensive lineman and great tackles and if they grade high, I will look to fill a whole and find a skill player later in the draft.  So let’s find out what’s in store for this Thursday night. And away we go…

1. Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow QB (LSU) – If I was Zac Taylor, the Bengals head coach, and I knew I was on the hot seat, I would use this pick on Chase Young and go after Cam Newton and draft a QB with a later pick.  If I’m Taylor and the Bengals ownership said I have time to get this worked out, then you take Burrow and build your team around him. Young is the best player in this draft, in my opinion. That doesn’t always translate into who is picked first.  I like Burrow a lot, I love that he had a chance to grow into a great player at LSU and that he is as confident as I have watched a quarterback act in a long time. The question is, can he survive in Cincinnati where he has arguably worse receivers than he had at LSU?
2. Washington Redskins – Chase Young DE (Ohio St) – Generally the best player in the draft goes number one, but the Bengals are taking Burrow for need, which means that Redskins get a possible All Pro.  The Redskins put their eggs in the Dwyane Haskins basket last season but weren’t satisfied and traded for Kyle Allen from Carolina. I think if Tua had not gotten injured, you may have seen a different strategy not involving Allen.  Washington is in perfect spot at this point, Young was as dominant as any defensive lineman in college and unless they trade this pick to Miami, they will be forced to take the best prospect in the draft.
3. Detroit Lions – Jeffrey Okudah CB (Ohio St) – Detroit is in the same boat as Washington.  They don’t need a quarterback and they need a cornerback, and Okudah is the best in the draft this year.  Okudah was a stud in high school and that carried over with the Buckeyes. Again, the Lions have a lot of needs and would love to trade down, but why would Miami trade up, other than to assure themselves that they would get Tua?  The Lions need help on both lines but nothing of value lines up at the 3 spot. An intriguing pick would be Isaiah Simmons, but without a definite position home for him, I say take the cornerback.
4. New York Giants – Isaiah Simmons OLB/S (Clemson) – The Giants don’t need to overthink this.  They do need to take care of the offensive line to help their young guns of Saquan Barkley and Daniel Jones.  You can find a value player in the later rounds of the draft. Simmons is a one-of-a-kind player, that could shift attention of a quarterback wherever he lines up.  You can rush him, you can put him in coverage and you could play him at safety and probably have a Pro Bowl player at almost any position. My only other option, if you are looking for help for Jones, you have wide receivers like CeeDee Lamb or Jerry Jeudy, you could certainly trade down and try to obtain more picks.  
5. Miami Dolphins –– Andrew Thomas OT (Georgia) – Depending on which tackle you like better, (I prefer Thomas to Tristan Wirfs and Mekhi Becton) Miami has so many picks that they can take the best player at a needed position.  You say, well why wouldn’t they take a quarterback here? Because they have so many picks, they don’t need to take a chance. They already have Ryan Fitzpatrick. They don’t need a starter this fall and they can afford to take a player with a high upside and develop him.  I think that player is Justin Herbert and I think they can get him with one of their later picks in the draft.
6. Los Angeles Chargers – Tua Tagovailoa QB (Alabama) – Honestly, I would be really torn at this point.  The Chargers have Tryod Taylor and they have a lot of talent offensively, but they need help on the offensive line, especially at left tackle.  I want to take Becton right here, but…man it is hard to pass on Tua. He has won a lot at Alabama and he also makes throws that you really need to see to believe.  Justin Herbert has a lot of upside, but he isn’t as accurate as Tua. I also think Tua is a big-time leader. All of that needs to outweigh the injury history, which is severe, but I’m rolling the dice with Tua for the Chargers.
7. Carolina Panthers – Tristan Wirfs OT (Iowa) – After signing Teddy Bridgewater, you need to make sure you can protect him.  They need help on defense and if Simmons falls here, they really need to take him. In this scenario, the best defensive players they could take are CJ Henderson or Derrick Brown.  If the run on wide receivers happens at the bottom of this draft, you could see another tackle fall into the second round. That makes passing on Brown at DL difficult, because you hope you can fill the OL later.  I think you must protect your quarterback and your franchise player Christian McCaffrey. Wirfs was a stud in college. You may need to move him inside, but no matter what you are getting a 10-year starter on the line.  That’s not easy to pass on.
8. Arizona Cardinals – Mekhi Becton OL (Louisville) – This giant of a man will probably throw an eclipse on Kyler Murray, but he is a tough blocker and can anchor the left side of the line.  Duke Manyweather is a Jedi Master of offensive lineman training and he likes Becton as much as any tackle in the draft. That’s good enough for me. They need an explosive pass rusher, but there is no value at this pick.  You could also look to take an heir to the great Larry Fitzgerald, but with the depth at wide receiver in this draft you might get equal production in the second round if you trade back into it, or even as late as the third round.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars – Derrick Brown DL (Auburn) – A home wrecker, Brown can dominate plays.  He is the best available down lineman on the board after Young and should be an outstanding anchor for the rebuilding Jags.  They could use CJ Henderson at corner, but Brown is the better player. They also could use a tackle like Jedrick Wills Jr if they chose to start rebuilding the offensive side of the line first.
10. 

    Cleveland Browns – Josh Jones OT (Houston) – If I’m Cleveland I let someone else have this pick and let them take their quarterback.  If they stay, I say take Jones. I like Jones ability to move his feet and his size is NFL ready. If Jones struggles at left tackle, you may be able to move him inside or even to right tackle if he is coached correctly.  They need a left tackle at this spot, and I like Jones, over Wills, as Wills is a right tackle. Of course, they could surprise us all and take CeeDee Lamb and make a draft day trade of Odell Beckham Jr.
11. New York Jets – Jerry Jeudy WR (Alabama) – I love Jeudy.  I love him the most out of all the wide receivers in this draft.  He runs great routes, had great hands and simply gets open. I think he translates into the NFL better than any other receiver in this class, including Lamb, who I also think can be special.  The Jets need help on offense, Sam Darnold has struggled, Jeudy would start day one and help give Darnold a security that he hasn’t had since he entered the NFL.
12. Las Vegas Raiders – CeeDee Lamb WR (Oklahoma) – Speaking of great fits, this would be a great spot for the Raiders to take Lamb.  I know that Gruden loves him some Henry Ruggs III, but Lamb was much more productive in college. They would love to take a lock down type corner like CJ Henderson at this spot as well, but if you need a wide receiver, Lamb is your guy.
13. San Francisco 49ers – CJ Henderson CB (Florida) – I don’t see the Niners making this pick that they stole from the Colts.  The Niners have few picks in the middle and John Lynch will probably want to go with safety in numbers. They could use an offensive lineman, maybe they would take Wills if he was here.  I would take the best cover corner left in the draft if it were me.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jedrick Wills Jr. OL (Alabama) – What do you get the team that is suddenly a Super Bowl favorite with the addition of Tom Brady?  Well you could give him another toy in Henry Ruggs III at wideout, or you could solidify your offensive line to keep a 42-year-old quarterback from taking hits.  Wills was a multiple game starter at Alabama, a place that churns out great players. Wills will be around a lot longer than Brady, so he can be a right-side protector for the next quarterback as well.
15. Denver Broncos – Justin Jefferson WR (LSU) – If you like Ruggs because of his big play ability, I understand.  If you want production history, you can’t get any better than Jefferson. Joe Burrow made plays all year because Jefferson ran consistently great routes and make catch after catch and he will go get the ball.  I will ride with Jefferson every day of the week. Another intriguing pick at this spot is Kenneth Murray. People compare him to Roquan Smith of the Bears, and Vic Fangio knows all about Smith, from his time in Chicago.  Murray would be a great pick up at 15 if the Broncos decided not to go after a wide receiver this early.
16. Atlanta Falcons – Kenneth Murray LB (Oklahoma) – This is a best available draft pick in my opinion.  How many more years can you miss the playoffs with Matt Ryan? You may think, well Ruggs III is still here and would help, but the Falcons defense needs help.  I think they could go with a pass rusher at this point as well, or even help on the O Line with a player like Austin Jackson. I’d take Murray and figure out how he and Deion Jones can play together.
17. Dallas Cowboys – AJ Epenesa DE (Iowa) – Getting to the quarterback is always a priority and Epenesa is just starting to scratch the surface of where he will end up.  I may value Epenesa higher than most, but after getting a front row seat to watch him play at Iowa, I’m super happy to see him leave Iowa City early. You could argue that the Cowboys need a center to replace Travis Frederick, and they should trade down, but Epenesa will give you a pass rusher that you can move all over the D Line.
18. 

    Miami Dolphins – Jonathan Taylor RB (Wisconsin) – Taking a player like Andrew Thomas early gives the Dolphins some flexibility at this spot.  You may see that Justin Herbert is falling in my mock draft. I think a lot of that has to do with his accuracy. I’m not saying he can’t be an NFL quarterback, but he will need playmakers and a solid defense and run game to be ready to have success.  I think the Dolphins, with their multiple picks, can afford to take a work horse running back at this spot. You can’t argue with Taylor’s production in college. He put the ball on the turf, but so did Ahman Green and he turned out ok. Taylor’s vision is second to none in this draft and that to me is the key to becoming a great running back in the NFL.  
19. Las Vegas Raiders – Jaylon Johnson DB (Utah) – Still irks my rear end that Johnson didn’t end up a Husker.  He was one of the guys that Nebraska was in on that I thought we had a good shot at. What a miss and now he is one of the hottest names on the NFL draft board.  Johnson would be a good fit for the Raiders, who filled the wide receiver spot early. Now they fill the secondary. My only issue with this pick is that I really like Kristian Fulton from LSU at corner as well, but I just have a feeling we will see Johnson picked higher.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars – Kristian Fulton DB (LSU) – After landing Derrick Brown at 9, the Jags can afford to take a corner right here to replace Jalen Ramsey.  Fulton was a stud for a loaded LSU team, but he also is a very good tackler, to go along with his cover skills. AJ Terrell is another player that could end up here, but I give the higher grade to Fulton.  They also could nab a wide receiver at this point with the high end talent still available.   
21. Philadelphia Eagles – Henry Ruggs III WR (Alabama) – Ruggs III falls no further and provides an instant impact player for Carson Wentz.  I’m not sold on Wentz just yet and the Eagles need to provide him with more consistent help. They could also use a linebacker like Patrick Queen or another offensive lineman like Austin Jackson, who is currently rising on draft boards in the NFL.
22. Minnesota Vikings – AJ Terrell CB (Clemson) – Terrell is certainly athletic enough to play corner in the NFL.  With head coach Mike Zimmer’s style of defense, I think Terrell could shine. He has played in many big games, but he struggled against LSU in the championship in January.  I don’t hold that against him, many corners struggled against LSU. I think Terrell’s ceiling is high and I don’t think the Vikings can take Trevon Diggs, based on his relationship with WR Stefon Diggs and the fact that the WR Diggs left on terrible terms with the Vikings.  Wide Receiver is another spot that the Vikings could claim, along with someone like K’lavon Chaisson if they choose to take an edge rusher at this spot.
23. New England Patriots – Jordan Love QB (Utah St) – New England has not drafted well the last couple of seasons.  I feel like that issue, as much as anything else led to Tom Brady’s departure. The Patriots run will end this fall, but with the right draft pick, the fall may not be as gruesome as it could be.  If Love is here, I think they would jump at the chance to take him. I believe the QB sweepstakes hasn’t stopped just yet and the Patriots will likely add a veteran after the draft. Based on the team’s needs, especially at wide out, if the Patriots chose to pick Laviska Shenault Jr. or a linebacker like Zack Braun (who is made for this defense), they could take a QB later in the draft that may present as much upside as Love.
24. New Orleans Saints – Patrick Queen LB (LSU) – The Saints are a Super Bowl contender, although getting into the playoffs may have gotten a lot more difficult with the Buccaneers recent upgrades.  All things being equal, the Saints could use a stud athlete like Queen to light a fire under their defense. The fact that Queen is from just up the road in Baton Rouge makes this pick all the sweeter.  It’s funny that they could take Queen and leave a pass rusher like Chaisson still on the table, but Queen is a too good to pass up.  
25. Minnesota Vikings – K’Lavon Chaisson Edge (LSU) – The Vikings luck continues at defense. After adding a corner that can start day one like AJ Terrell, they are able to add a pass rusher than can provide instant third down help on long distance situations.  Chaisson is rising up on a lot of boards, so it’s doubtful he remains available at this spot on draft day, but with so many top notch wide receivers out there, it may make some guys fall that you don’t expect.
26. Miami Dolphins – Justin Herbert QB (Oregon) – If the Dolphins can be patient, they will get their guy if they truly want Herbert.  If they want to jump up earlier to take Love or really want Tua at the five spot, they can have them. If they want Herbert, I think he falls all the way down here.  It’s not that Herbert wasn’t productive. His biggest issue is accuracy. It’s typically not something you can “learn” in the NFL. Herbert is a strong leader and he has a big arm.  If he can harness that and learn from Fitzpatrick for a year, it may be the type of apprenticeship that allows Herbert to blossom.  
27. Seattle Seahawks – Yetur Gross-Matos Edge (Penn State) – I want to put Austin Jackson here, but…this is the kind of pick that when I review this draft will either be a steal for the Seahawks, or no one will remember this kid in 3 years.  Gross-Matos has a lot of athletic ability and hasn’t realized his potential. With Seattle, he won’t be expected to the be the star and I think that is a situation that he can really thrive in. What really matters though, is that the Seahawks won’t make this pick, they will trade it and this projection won’t happen.
28. Baltimore Ravens – Zack Braun LB (Wisconsin) – The Ravens consistently take the best players they can get, and they are one of the most consistent franchises in the league because of it.  Braun is that type of player. Cesar Ruiz is shooting up a lot of draft boards and maybe he is the better fit to replace Marshall Yanda, but Braun is smart, plays hard and would be a nice addition.  Or they could say screw it and take a wide receiver and give Lamar Jackson even more ammunition.
29. Tennessee Titans – Javon Kinlaw (South Carolina) – Austin Jackson is shooting up a lot of draft boards, but with Kinlaw in free fall and defensive line a huge need for the Titans, they can’t pass him up at this spot.  The Titans will need to address the offensive line, but one thing we know about this franchise, they have identified how to create a great offensive line. There are other players that they can take later in the draft.  There is no chance they are getting the upside of Kinlaw any lower than this spot. 
30. 

    Green Bay Packers – Laviska Shenault WR (Colorado) – I do not like Green Bay.  I hate that they always have players fall into their lap later in the first round.  This is another one of those times that it happens. Shenault wouldn’t be this low if it weren’t for the surgery that he had.  Now that it sounds like he is fully healed, I expect him to go in the first round and I expect him to be a pain in the NFC North for a while.
31. San Francisco 49ers – Austin Jackson OT (USC) – While it may have been clear that the 49ers aren’t that far off from winning a Super Bowl, it was also clear that they do not possess a lot of stars on offense.  That’s alright if you have a solid foundation. The depth at WR will allow them to make the best available player decision. The Niners will clearly be players to trade back on day one of the draft, but if they stay, the local product from Southern California would fill a nice spot on the offensive line.
32. Kansas City Chiefs – Trevon Diggs CB (Alabama) – It is funny to me that the team that needs offensive weapons, could look at all the wide receivers available in this draft and take one if they want.  On the flip side, you can take a cornerback that is big and played for a winning program in Alabama and help keep your team balanced and firing on all cylinders. Some mock drafts have them taking an offensive lineman, but if Diggs is there, he is the guy.  The Chiefs just continue to stock up.

We finished the first round and I’m looking at available players and I see, 5 maybe 6 guys at wideout that are in the same ball park as most of the wide receivers taken in the first round.  Teams will certainly have their pick of who they want at that position. I can’t say the same on the offensive and defensive lines.

Darrion Daniels 

So, what does that mean?  Well for starters, Huskers like Carlos Davis, Khalil Davis and Darrion Daniels have a good shot at being drafted in the later rounds.  I don’t know if another Husker besides Lamar Jackson will have a chance to hear their name called until the third day, but this should start up another streak of Huskers being drafted.  When Nebraska starts getting players in the first 2 days of the draft, we know we will be competing for the Big Ten West.

Welp, another year, another mock 1st round draft.  I hope you enjoyed it, let the debating, and the watching actual sports programming begin!  Stay safe and, oh yeah…GBR!

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